Case marking device



Jan. 5, 1954 w. GIBSON 2,664,816

CASE MARKING DEVICE Filed July 9, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 5, 1954 w. GIBSON CASE MARKING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1949 I INVENTOR.

48 Jflma m BY 0 4 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 5,1954 w. GIBSON 2,664,816

CASE MARKING DEVICE Filed July 9, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 7 .nmmrgwanra 114 57 I 9318' W ATT RNEIYS.

Patented Jan. 5, 1954 CASE MARKING DEVICE William Gibson, Bellmore, N. Y., assignor to California Packing Corporation,

San Francisco,

Calif., a corporation of New York Application July 9, 1949, Serial No. 103,931

7 Claims.

This invention relates to case positioning and marking devices and more particularly to a device in which suitable oriented and spaced packing cases are intermittently stamped by a roller having letters or other indicia formed thereon, which stamping action is automatically in response to the passage of the packing case past the stamping mechanism.

The device of this invention contemplates the continuous marking of a plurality of packing cases by the intermittent action of the stamping device and includes proper conveying, orienting, stamping and discharging of the packing cases. It is accordingly, one object of this invention to provide a case marking device of the type described, in which the cases to be marked are conveyed in proper spaced and oriented relationship to a marking station marked and discharged therefrom continuously.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a case marking device in which the marking mechanism is actuated by the movement of the cases through the marking station.

Itis a further object of this invention to provide a case marking device of the type described, in which the marking mechanism operates intermittently in response to the passage of a case to be marked through the marking station rather than continuously.

Theseand other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the annexed specification in which: 1

Figure -1 is a plan view of a case orienting conveying and marking device embodying the present invention.

' Figure: 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device shown in'Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a portion of the device shown in Figure 1. I

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the first cas'turning or orienting'station, shown' in Figure' 1.

'Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the device shown in Figure 4.

'Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of one of the case marking devices in its original condition.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the marking device in marking position.

Figure 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

. Figure 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a section taken along the line lO-lo of Figure 6.

"engage the roller 31.

Figure 11 is a section taken along the line llll of Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 showing the device in a different position; and

Figure 13 is a section taken along the line l3-|3 of Figure 11.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a continuous conveyor belt 20 mounted at one end upon a drum 2!, having an axle 22 suitably journaled in bearings in a frame 23. The conveyor belt at is mounted at its other end upon a drum 24 having an axle 25 journaled in bearings in the frame 23, which axle carries a pulley 26 upon its extended end engaging a belt ,21, which also engages a pulley 28 mounted on a shaft 29 of electromotor 33. It will be appreciated, that by means of the electric motor 30, the belt 21, the pulleys 26 and 28, the shaft 25 and consequently the drum 24 is driven, thus continuously advancing the belt 20 within the framework 23. Mounted within the framework 23, isa continuous series of idler rolls 3| which serve to support the belt 20. The idler rolls 3| are journaled in bars 32 and 33 carried by the framework 23. Pivoted upon one side of the frame member 23, as at 34, isa bar 35 having at one end an arm 36 carrying a pivoted roller 31. The other end of the bar 35 carries an arm 38 on the upper end of which is afiixed a plate 39 carrying a stop pad 40. A bracket 4| is mounted upon the frame 23 adjacent the rear end of the arm 35 and upona forwardly extending leg. of the bracket there is mounted a coil spring 42 having its other end afiixed to the end of the arm 35. The coil spring normally biases the arm 35 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Figure 2, and thus tends to pivot the armso as to project the roller '31 into the path of a box traveling along the belt 2|! but having its edge projected beyond the belt, as hereinafter described, in a position to When a box does engage the roller 31, it will roll over .the roller 3'l and depress the same, thus pivoting the arm 35 in a clockwise direction and projecting the plate 39 and curved stop pad 40 into the path and then under the bottom, of a succeeding box, and the pad brakes the motion of that box, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 5. The succeeding box cannot continue its travel along thebelt 20 until the proceeding box hasfully cleared the roller 31. In this manner, the boxes traveling .upon the belt 20 are suitably spaced with respect to each other.

A deflecting plate 43 is mounted in the path of the oncoming boxes by suitable supports 44 and 4.5, in such a manner that the plate forms an obtuse angle with the belt 2!! and thus causes the boxes riding upon the belt to be propelled to one side of the belt with their edges extending beyond the belt, as shown in Figure l.

The shafts carrying the rollers 3|a and 3ib are extended and provided upon their extended ends with rollers as and il, which are provided to engage underneath the portion of the boxes 1 thus projected beyond the belt and prevent the same from falling from the belt.

Further towards the forward end of :the 'mecha-- nism, there is provided a roller 4.8.having a greater diameter than the rollers.- 46. and 4 which also is mounted upon an extension of a shaft carrying the roller 3 lo and this roller 48 serves to raise the outer edge of the boxes to throwan'increased portion of the weight of such boxes upon the belt 26 to insure proper traction of the belt during the turning operation. Just beyflndtm roller 43, there is provideda bracketAS on which is mounted an upstanding roller 5i); which roller extends into the pathof the boxes asumost clearly, shown in Figure 3'. A box traveling along the belt and'having been shifted into. an angular positionupon thebelt with its edge extending .over the belt, as shown in Figure '3, such as the box numbered" 51, will have. its forward righthand corner, as shown in Figure 4, engaged by the i rollertll and the traction of the belt will'swing the box in a clockwise movement until the box is realignedflat a position 910' degrees, with respect to. its initial position upon the conveyor belt'zfll The box is then in condition to pass through the marking mechanism propen. Such marking mechanisms, one for the righthand and one for the lefthand are indicated, labeled respectively 52? and 53;,each of. which,.except.for being reversed from left to. right is identical in structureand one only will be described;

Referringnow particularlytoFigures16"through 13;.a plate or. bracketfill .is.now carried by the .frame..2 3'.and on thisplatethere is mounted a .shafttewhich carries ahubidhaving welded theretoan arm .51.. The hub is retained .upon the shaft 55 bya nut.58..and the. hub .iscounter-bored to r.ec.eive a =three-part thrust bearing 5.9..toinsure easy swinging movementof the hub .58. and. arm 5.? about. the shaft 55. The. lower endof the shaftiili issecuredby a nutfill. andawasher. GI. Alsomounted upon the bracket orplate 54. is an angle. piece -82...secur.ed theretoas by means of. a stud..63. The upstanding arm. of the. angle. 62 is .bored .as .at .54 .and a .shaft .65, havingabifurcated end .66. extends. through .the bore .64.. Nut .51 is carried on theouter. .endcflthe. shaftfifi andfacoilspring 58. is interposed between the nut and. the. upstanding arm. of. theangle- 5.2 and disposed aboutthe .shaitfili. .A .second coil spring 69. is disposed .aboutt-thenshaft and. nositioned between. the. upstanding arm. and the shoulders ofthe. bifurcated v.end .56, alLas clearly shown, in Figure 9... The bifurcatedend. 65fits over .thepla-te 5.! and it is .pivotallysecured theretoby a pin 1.0.

The plate 5.1 is also provided'with aU-shaped guide. H, secured onits under sideas bybolts I2. Theplate is slotted at 1.3 and the uide. is similarly slotted at 14..00 receive, a. collar. 15., pinned to..a screw shaft it. A ,slide'i'l iscarried in the guide. H and is internally threaded to receive the threads orthe screws'lfig. The outer end of the screw 16 carries a thumbnut' T8; the

and a hub 87.

' catedgenerally at 9.1.

" type. facings, SllGhwa-S Iii];

of a; box.

inner edge of which abuts the edges of the plate 7? and the guide ll remote from the slots :3 and T4. The plate 51 is again slotted as at '39 to receive an upstanding post 89, formed upon the slide ll. A set screw 3| is provided in the bottom of the guide adapted to engage the slide and lock it in selected position. The post 88 is tapped to receive the lower end of a shaft 82 and a thrust bearing .83..is carried bythe shaft 82.

An ink roller, indicated generally at 84, is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 82 and comprises an upper plate 85 and a lower plate 85 The lower plate 85 is affixed to the hub -81 and the upper plate 85 is removably secured-thereto by the screws 88. The plates receivebetween them a multiple layer of felt pads 39, forming the ink roller proper.

The-upper" plate 85 is bored in a number of .placestadjacent its periphery as at 90 and similar bores are formed in the upper felt pad, the

purpose of which.is...to. receive andevenlydistribute theinkthroughout the ink .rolland .to

prevent the ink fromsettling to the. bottom of theroll tooquickly. It wi1l.be apparent, from .the...foregoing description, that. the ink .rollis easily removable-from the shaft 8.2, simply by lifting the entire assembly just. described, from the shaft.

The plate 57. also carries a marking roll indi- A post 8-2 having .a collar as is riveted in theplatefifi;as.at..84 and/a bushing 8.51s carried about .the .post .92. The bushing carries .atits lower endacollar and thus-serves as athrust bearing. for. the. mechanism, hereinafter described.

A earn 9? is. carried. by the. bushingand. is recessed, as at-98:,- to receive thecollar. 96. The cam 92'. is. flanged as atflfi-and. this flange is notched as at I03 (see Figures 11 and .12)... A

hub ifii, having a-flange. l .d2..is.mounted on the bushing 95,.andthe fiange-99 of. the camel and a plate I93-is-seeuredto-thehub as-bymeans of screws I104.- The rubber.- marking roll l0.5-is flattened atone side :assat ,I llfi-andprovided with Thefiattened portion I06. of the marking roll, parallels theside After the inkingopeartion is" completed, .the..-platee5-l, in the region :of. the flattened portion, extends inch beyond .thefiattened per-.- tionof:the.-roll :so that.v afterthe marker has completed its. cycle, theplate. 5.1- takes over and prevents the roll'from touching thebalanceoi the: case. This marking roll .is :clamped between the flange I02 and theiplate 19.3; as indicated in Figure 8. From the foregoing description, it will again beflnp'ctrentt'hat the. marking roll :can be removed as an assemblysimply by lifting the same offiofthe-nost 92-, I which. greatlyzfacilitate's changing rolls in the event: adifierent-ma-rking is. desired.

The. plate 51 also. carries :a- T shapeddoeging mechanism H38 pivotally secured to the under side of. the:-.pl'ate-5?! bzwmeanspf the stud I09. The dog m8 has an extensionzi-fll on :theunder side of which: ispivoted auroller III by means ofa stud H2: Theuppenarm: of the head of the T H3 is adapted to removably fit in theslot or notch It!!! formed in the cam 9'! and into a similar'notch I min the. plate 51'. The plate 57 also carries apost M5 on the under side thereof to which is aifixed one end of a coilispring US; the other-end'of the coil spring is aflixedtothe lower arm of. the head H3 of the, T I981 The operation of "the last described mechanism is as follows. Assuming a box 5I" is approaching the marking station, it will first engage the roller Byreason of the pivotal upon the stud I09, further movement of the box under the traction of the conveyor belt will swing the roller III and T I03 in a clockwise direction (see Figures 11 and 12), thus removin the upper arm of the head I I3 from the notches I00 and IM, freeing the cam 91 for rotation. As the cam 91 is secured to the hub I 0| by means of the screws H8, the hub and consequently the marking roller are also freed for rotation. The

marking roll will thus be rotated by engagement with the box 5|. roll, with respect to the'periphery of the mark- As the position of the inking ing roll, is adjustable by means of the adjustment of the slide 1? hereinbefore described, so

that the marking roll will engage the type facings I01, the type facings I0; is inked on rotation of the marking roll. Further rotation of the marking roll causes the type facings ID? to engage the sides of the box 5! and imprint the marking the T I08 and roller III to pivot in a counterclockwise position and re-engage the upper arm of the head H3 in the notches I00 and I I4 and the device is thus locked and placed in condition to be actuated by the passage of a succeeding box. It will be appreciated that as the roller III is initially engaged by the edge of the box iii, the plate 51 is pivoted about the post 55 and the entire marking mechanism SWllIlg initially from the position shown in Figure 6 to that shown in Figure 7. As this is done, the coil spring 69 is placed under compression, the force of which compression serves to insure the firm contact of the marking roll with the side of the box. The coil spring 68 serves, however, to prevent slap when the marking roll rides oif the box 5|.

By means of the thumb nut 18, a delicate adjustment of the slide 11 and hence of the post or shaft 82, and the inking roller 84 is possible. After such adjustment is made, it is retained by the set screw 8i. A similar adjustment in the force with which the marking roll pressed against the side of the box is possible by means of the nut 61 on the shaft 65. The nut 61 also illustrates the normal position of the plate 5'! and hence the positioning of the inking device when originally contacted by the box to be marked; thus regulation of the position of the plate 51, by means of the nut Bl, also serves t center the printing upon the box as desired. On passing from the marking station as described, the boxes are then presented to another turning station in all respects similar to the turning station comprising the plate 43, rollers 46, 47, 48 and 53 above described, with the exception that a small cam or roller I I9 is provided to lift the outer edge of the boxes to be presented to the rollers 46a, 41a and 48a. It will be appreciated that the box again is contacted by the upstanding rollers 50a and again swung through 90 so as to complete a turning of 180 from its initial position on the conveyor belt 28. In the stations where such turning is performed, guard rails E20 may be employed mounted upon the'frame 23, as shown in Figure 3.

While there has been described what is at present considered a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention and it is intended to cover therein all such changes and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A printing mechanism for printing objects supported for rectilinear movement past said mechanism comprising: a pivoted supporting plate; a printing roll journaled on said plate; an inking roll journaled on said plate and engageable with said printing roll; a bracket mounted adjacent said plate; an arm having one end thereof engaging said plate and the other end thereof passing through said bracket, an adjusting nut threaded on said other end; spring means on said arm acting between said bracket and said plate and normally biasing said plate to engage said printing roll with said objects and second spring means acting between said bracket and said adjusting nut and opposing the bias of said first spring means to prevent slapping of said plate said nut being adjustable on said other end to adjust the positioning of the printing on said objects.

2. A printing mechanism for printing objects supported for rectilinear movement past said mechanism comprising: a pivoted supporting plate; a post carried by said plate; a printing roll removably journaled'on said post; a guide mounted on said plate; a slide mounted in said guide; a second post mounted on said slide; an inking roll removably journaled on said second post; adjusting means for said slide to adjust said inking roll with respect to said printing roll a bracket, an arm having one end thereof pivoted on said plate and the other end thereof passing through said bracket, an adjusting nut threaded on said other end, a first spring acting between said bracket and said supporting plate, a second spring acting between said nut and said bracket, said nut being adjustable to adjust the positioning of the printing on said objects.

3. A printing mechanism for printing objects supported for rectilinear movement past said mechanism comprising: a supporting frame; a plate pivoted on said frame; a rigid bracket on said frame; a rod having one end thereof attached to said plate and having the other end thereof passing through an aperture in said bracket; an adjusting nut on said other end, a coil spring on said rod acting between said bracket and said plate; a second coil spring on said rod between said nut and said bracket; a printing roll journaled on said plate; a guide mounted on said plate; a slide mounted in said guide; an inking roll journalled on said slide; adjusting means for said slide to adjust said inking roll with respect to said printing r011 said nut being adjustable on said other end to adjust the positioning of the printing on said objects.

4. A printing mechanism for printing objects supported for rectilinear movement past said mechanism comprising: a supporting frame; a plate pivoted on said frame; a rigid bracket on said frame; a rod attached to said plate and passing through an aperture in said bracket; a coil spring on said rod between said bracket and said 1? .=.;slide;.adjustingmeansfor-said slide vto adjust said,inking roll-with respect tosaid printing roll; ,said; nut being adjustable on saidrod to center .said. marking roll with-respectto said objects.

51A, printing rnechanism for printing objects supported for rectilinear movement past said mechanism comprising: a supporting frame, a plate pivoted on said frame, arigid bracket on said frame,-a rod having one end thereof attached to. said plate and having the other end thereof passing through an aperture in said bracket, 2. -.coil-spring on said rod .between said bracket and said plate, ana'djusting nut on said other end of aid rod,.a second coil spring on said rod between ;.saidnut and said bracket, a printing roll jourwnaledon said plate, a guide mounted onsaid ;plate, a slide mounted in said guide, an inking roll journaled on said slide, adjusting means for said slide to adjust said inking roll with respect to-said printing roll, said nut being adjustable on saidrod to centersaid rolls on said objects, zmeans normally locking said printing rollagainst rotation, said locking means incorporating an element normally positioned in the path of move- :ment of said objects for movement thereby to permit rotation of. said printing roll.

6. A printing mechanism for printing objects asupported .for rectilinear movement past said 'mechanism' comprising: -a frame, a supporting ,-.plate;pivotallymounted on said frame, a post :carried bysaid, plate, :a printing roll removably -=journa1ed on said post,-a guide mounted on said 1 plate, a slidemountedjin said guide, a second post -.mounted onsaid: slide, aninking roll removably ,;journaleduon-.said second, post, adjusting means 35 tion of the printingon said objects, means nor- 1 mally locking said printing rollagainst rotation, :saidylockingmea-ns including an element posiationed in-.the, path of movement of said objects and 1 moved thereby: to permit. unlocking: of said locking means.

'7. -A' printing-mechanism. forprinting objects supported .for rectilinear movement past said mechanism comprising: aframe, a supporting plate pivotally mounted on said frame,--a post carried by said plate, a printing roll removably journaled on said post, a guide mounted-on said plate, aslide mounted in said guide, a second post .1 mounted on said slide,:.an inking roll removably journaled on said second. post,. adjusting means attached to said plate and passing through an aperture in saidv bracket, first spring means between said bracketsand said plate, an adjusting nut mounted on the other end of said arm, second spring means acting between said nut and. said bracket, said nut being adjustable :to permit adjustment of the position of the printing on said objects, said printing roll being rotatable-and having a part of the surface thereof flatter than the printing surface, means for discontinuing rotationof said type member when the flatter surface reaches a position opposite said objects, means efiective to lock saidprinting roll-against rotation when said flatter surface reachesa position opposite the objects, said locking means comprising an element positioned in the path of movement of said objects and moved thereby to permit unlocking of said printing roll.

WILLIAM GIBSON.

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